Silent Sleeper
by Astharoshe-san
Summary: There isn't anyway you would have been forgotten. It led to your following, and I waited until you were alone. One rainy night and a heartfelt obsession, waiting outside for one decision.  Rated M for further Chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Ah, I know this is not an update for Murderous Love...Forgive me! However, I was plauged by this thought thanks to a certain song. But if I tell you the song, it will give spoilers (how uncreative T.T). Anyway, here is the first chapter to Silent Sleeper. Please know that these chapters will probably be short and that Gaara/Lee may not be in character. In any case, I do hope you will enjoy this! Please enjoy and rate!**

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The house at the end of the street is dark. It's a beautiful two story house, and a well-trimmed yard lays before it. There's a drive where a beat up old 79' Nova rests. Even in the dark, the car shines. It's raining outside, slow and steady. Sheets of it fall down, drenching the house, the car, and the figure across the way.

The boy stands on the sidewalk, eyes focused on the dark building in front of him. Red hair dips into his eyes, soaked by the rain falling around him. He doesn't like the rain.

Gaara has never liked the rain. He likes warm, dry weather. The kind of weather that brings sweat to his brow when he walks outside. He longs for those days. A shiver shakes him and he pulls his jacket tighter around his frame, though it's just as wet as the rest of him. But even though it's raining, Gaara can't bring himself to leave his spot.

For three nights, he's stood outside just watching. He wanted to get closer, to peer inside a window in hopes of seeing the object of his unknowable obsession. There's something inside him that stops him when he tries to take another step forward though. A rock in his stomach that plummets downward whenever he gets too close. Gaara crouches down, trying to relieve the ache in his legs. Tonight though, it will be tonight that Gaara takes the next step.

He can feel it in his chest, the need to move onwards. He's known that he wouldn't be able to walk away from this when he first saw the other boy. The boy with scars running across his body, with black hair that shined even when it was messy. The boy with deep, understanding eyes and smile that blinded the proclaimed "Un-Youthful Spirits" that tried to force themselves on Gaara.

That fateful night in the club. Gaara hadn't even seen the boy until he was standing right in front of him, shirtless and larger than life. Sweat glistened over his body under the club lights. If he hadn't been there, who knew what would have happened to Gaara. From then on, string attached itself to Gaara's heart, and anywhere that boy went, the string tugged Gaara along with him.

It was weeks before Gaara had even known his name. Of course, the name fit him. It was sweet and to the point. Nothing fancy, but it was the first time Gaara had heard the name Lee. Then three days ago, Gaara followed Lee home, and watched the sun set over the roof of his house.

Too afraid to go up to the door. Too afraid to be rejected. There are too many voices in Gaara's head, telling him what to do. It took a long time for him to decide, and tonight one voice spoke louder than others.

Slowly, he rises to his full height again. With less than confident steps, Gaara steps off the curb and heads towards the dark house. The rock inside his stomach drops again, but is ignored. This time, Gaara won't chicken out and turn away. No more standing in the rain, no more debating. The water stings his eyes so he pulls his hood over his head, hoping to slow the flow of liquid. As he approaches the house, his feet make odd squishing noises in the grass. Steadily, Gaara's breath quickens.

Gaara stops at the front door, nervous again. What if no one answers? What if he's sent away? A porch extends over the door, shielding him from the rain now. Still, water pools around his feet and falls in drops onto his face. Almost of it's own mind, his hand raises and he pushes the door bell. From inside, a hollow ringing echoes.

Then, nothing but the rain against the porch. And the heart beating unsteadily inside Gaara's chest.

Minutes pass, and the almost-silence drags on. Gaara rubs his hands together, warming them with friction. His body shakes, not entirely from the cold. His mind whispers the same phrase again and again. "Please answer, please answer." It doesn't occur to him that it's almost three in the morning. When too much time passes he can feel his resolve falter and quake. Gaara begins to turn when he hears it. The locks click, and the handle turns.

The door opens to reveal a young man in pajama bottoms. His black hair is messy, but shines nonetheless. He fixes sleep-filled onyx eyes on the figure on his front porch. Gaara's breath catches in his throat as a quiet voice fills his ears.

"Gaara?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Isn't it crazy how fast this is being updated? Forgive me again for not having Murderous Love out. I'm working on it! I promise! In other things, here is the second chapter. Does it make sense? To me, yes! Please keep on reading, as I promise that it will get better if it is going slowly right now. This chapter features Lee! It's odd, his dreams. (And he isn't nearly as enthusiastic as he should be. It's three in morning though!) Please review and enjoy!**

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A clock "tsks" mutely inside the darkened room, hushed by the sound of rain on the window. Snoring softly, a boy is draped over a desk littered with papers. A pencil rests in his left hand, and his face is pressed against the spiral of a notebook. Massive brows scrunch together as he dreams.

Lee dreams about squirrels.

He has never known why, but every dream he has ever had features at least one squirrel. _This time, the scene is choppy and child-like, a lush park in the middle of a desert. Lee is on the swings kicking higher and higher. He leans back with his eyes closed, enjoying the tickling vertigo it induces. Opening his eyes, he spots an oddly colored squirrel watching him from the edge of the park. Lee twists around in his swing, trying to get a better look at the animal. He hops out of the swing and trips over to where the squirrel sits, still watching. Upon closer inspection, the fur appears rusty, almost red._

_The creature is fiddling with it's paws, washing it's fur. It twitches, as though it were nervous. Lee kneels down slowly, not wanting to frighten the little thing away. He murmurs words of nothing to it, trying to soothe the animal even though it is obviously not afraid. Extending a hand towards the squirrel, Lee smiles warmly. "Come here." He says. Then the squirrel stops moving. It's frozen, eyes locked and staring up at the hand._

_Without warning, it launches itself straight at Lee. Lee tries to move, but is paralyzed. A severe pain pulls at his heart. His eyes widen as he sees the animal ripping through his chest, shredding the skin over his heart. It crawls into the hole, burrowing itself inside his heart. It hurts, but Lee is unable to do anything but watch it happen. Slowly the skin regrows, sealing the squirrel inside. Now Lee can move, and he opens his mouth to scream-_

And is startled awake by the sound of the doorbell. Lee's eyes are wide and open, but the dream is gone. He rubs his eyes with the back of his hand before glancing at the clock. It's almost three in the morning. He lifts himself up, and hurries down the stairs to the door. He wonders who would be at his house at three in the morning. Lee grabs the handle of the door and pulls it open. He has to blink at first, his eyes aren't used to the darkness outside before he is able to see who it is.

"Gaara?" He asks the soaked figure on his porch. The boy turns around, eyes wide and vulnerable.

Lee is confused but quickly recovers his manners. "Please, come inside. I will grab a towel, okay?" He leaves the door open, and runs to the bathroom to grab a towel. On his way back to the front room he flips on the lights. Gaara is standing just inside the door, dripping water all over the floor. He has his arms wrapped around his torso, shaking with chill.

"Here, give me your jacket." Lee takes the soaked cloth away from the redhead. He hands the towel to the other boy. "Hold on a moment okay? I will go get something dry for you to wear." Lee is curious as to why the strange boy is at his house so early, but doesn't try to ask. He knows eventually it will come up. He runs up the stairs again, digging through his dresser for a pair of pants that might fit the smaller boy. He comes up with a loose pair of grey sweats with a drawstring, and an oversized green shirt. Lee hopes it will be enough.

Lee makes his way back downstairs where Gaara stands, stripped down to his jeans and socks. Lee's eyes are caught by how pale the skin is, how flawless. Much different from his own. He hands Gaara the clothes, seeing how the teal eyes are focused on him. All this time, not a word has been uttered. Lee remembers that's how it always is. When he first met Gaara, it was throwing those thugs off him. He'd been given a breathy "thanks", and that was all.

But Lee has seen Gaara more often after that. It was odd.

And now he was at Lee's house at three in the morning. "Here you go Gaara. I know these are a little bit big, but they are dry. The bathroom is through there. I will put your clothes in the dryer." He is silently handed a wad of clothing, and given a nod as Gaara headed in the direction pointed to him. Lee moves to put away the clothes, and goes into the kitchen. He starts a pot of water on the stove.

He is glad his uncle isn't home. He ponders how the older man would have reacted. Probably very loudly, and with much Youthful Enthusiasm. A dry Gaara shuffles into the kitchen, one hand holding the sweats up. Lee offers Gaara a chair, and gets up to set out two cups. Sleep is nagging at the back of his mind, reminding him that there is school in only a few short hours. While Lee prepares the tea, he can feel eyes on his back. However, when he glances behind him, Gaara is looking only at the table before him.

As Lee sets the steaming cup in front of him he looks at the pale face. Gone is the vulnerability Lee saw when he first opened the door. In it's place is a mask, a blank look. With the lack of eye brows on his face, and the dark rings around his teal eyes, Gaara almost looks angry. Lee sits across from him, his own cup of tea in his hands. Gaara reaches forward with slightly shaking hands, curling his fingers around the cup.

A silence stretches out between them. Lee can't hardly stand it.

"Gaara, it is not as though I do not enjoy your company, for it is always nice to visit with friends, but it is very early in the morning. If it is not too intruding, might I ask what-" Lee is cut off when Gaara lifts his head to look at Lee. Gaara has stopped moving, and is just watching.

Oddly, Lee feels a sense of déjà vu. Almost expects the smaller boy to jump at him. The feeling fades as Gaara's quiet voice fills his ears. "My father told me to leave." There is nothing more out of him after that statement. Lee thinks there is more to the story, but Gaara is staring at his cup again. Lee continues to stare at the boy before him. Gaara is smaller than Lee, thinner. His skin is pale, like a cloud bathed in moonlight. But it's the red hair that catches all the attention. While it was wet, it fell down his face in bloody rivers. Now dry, it is a fire crackling to life. Lee is still waiting for Gaara to speak, patient and curious.

Finally Gaara spoke. His voice is even and deep, velvet.

"Can I stay here tonight...Lee?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Oh wow. This chapter is much longer than I expected it to be. I'm sorry! Isn't it odd how quickly these are coming out? I'm proud of myself! I finished the outline for the story today, and came to the conclusion that... I can not write a normal story. Bah. This chapter is slow, but it will pick up in the coming chapters! I thank you for those who have reviewed so far, it makes my brain warm and fuzzy with joy! Thank you for reading, and please review! Please enjoy!**

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Heartbeats mark the time between Gaara's question, and Lee's answer. Internally, Gaara is shaking in anticipation. It dawns on him now that he never thought about what would happen if Lee were to refuse him at this point. Logic tells Gaara he would have to go home. Unbeknownst to Lee, Gaara's father was actually furious at his son's absence. Not angry that Gaara might be lying in a ditch somewhere, but angry Gaara left after he was ordered to stay home.

Gaara doesn't care though. He hasn't cared in a long time. He fiddles with his cup, the liquid steaming in it's container. An impatient part of him wants Lee to hurry up and answer, and his heart echoes the request, unsure if it can keep up it's crazy beat. Teal eyes peer out from under red bangs, trying to assess how Lee will answer. Gaara sees Lee's confusion fade into something warm and fuzzy. A smile bursts forth, threatening to blind Gaara if he keeps looking.

"Of course you may! If you will give me a moment, I will set up a place for you to sleep! Please finish your tea while I do this!" Lee's loud acceptance startles Gaara. He watches Lee bound out of the kitchen with wide eyes. He stares at the doorway, half expecting Lee to turn around and say he was joking. When the space remains empty, Gaara's eyes move down to where Lee's cup sits. The cup Lee drank out of. Gaara's breath catches in his throat as he reaches across the table to grab the cup in his hands.

Gaara can see the spot where Lee's lips where when he drinks. He lifts the cup up to his own lips, wondering if it counts as a kiss. But it's more than just a kiss, indirect or not. Gaara drinks from the same spot, taking a tiny piece of Lee inside with him. It makes his stomach quiver, his hands shake, and deep inside himself he hears a pleased noise.

"Gaara, there is more tea on the stove if you wanted some." Lee's voice startles Gaara, he jumps and nearly drops the cup. He is ashamed of himself, only because he was caught. He offers Lee a shrug in response and looks away from those huge onyx eyes. Those eyes that caught and saved him that one night. He wouldn't ever forget that.

"If you are done now, Gaara, I have a couch made up for you to sleep on." Gaara nods, and stands up. The sweat pants sag low on his hipbones, they are a size to big for him even with the drawstring. He runs a hand through his drying hair to keep it from his eyes as he motions to pick up the tea cups. Lee however, does not allow him to do so. Before Gaara touches the cups, Lee has them in hand and at the sink. Lee turns his oddly bright smile on Gaara as though apologizing.

For what, Gaara is unsure of.

He does not know what to do with himself anymore. Should he go see where he will be sleeping? Should he insist to help Lee wash two cups? Lee makes the decision for him, waving for Gaara to follow him into a sitting room. The entire room is decorated in different shades of green. A long couch sits before a coffee table, which has three books on taijutsu and a stack of coasters. Next to the long couch is a loveseat, which is curved so both couches make an "L" shape. There is a television on an entertainment center against a far wall, turned so no matter where a person sits they can see it clearly.

On the long couch is a heap of blankets, pillows on top of a sheet. All of them are a dark green, except the pillow which stands out in a garish orange. Gaara doesn't know how to process the clash of colors, and decides that it is better to accept it than try to work it out. Lee fluffs the pillow before letting out a huge yawn. Gaara imagines himself looking down the tunnel of Lee's mouth to see his tonsils. He shakes his head to clear the child-like image.

"I am very sorry I can not stay up any longer. The television remote is somewhere on the couch. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to wake me! Good night Gaara!" Lee's voice is loud and energetic, putting it at odds with his sleepy appearance. He gives Gaara another wave, and bounds up the stairs to his bedroom. Gaara is standing in the living room, minutes after his host has gone to bed. He regards the make-shift bed with baleful eyes. Even if Gaara was dreadfully tired, his insomnia (and somewhere, the horror of being swallowed by so much green) wouldn't allow him to lie down to sleep. Instead, Gaara stays planted in the middle of the room, waiting for a sign that Lee has gone to sleep.

It doesn't take long for the sound of snoring to drift down the stairway. Gaara waits a few moments more before carefully making his way to the stairs. The pants he wears threatens to trip him as they slide down his frame again. He makes a sound of frustration before rolling the pants up high enough to look ridiculous. He pulls the pants up again and begins ascending the stairs. The snoring gets louder as Gaara approaches, he doesn't have to guess which door to open. The hallway leading to Lee's room is dark, but Gaara has the eyes of cat, he catches the smallest bit of light and uses it to his advantage.

When he enters Lee's bedroom Gaara tries to silence his breathing in case Lee is a light sleeper. The boy is face-down on his bed though, and doesn't stir when Gaara pads over to his side. Gaara snoops around the room for anything interesting, but the boy on the bed continues to hold his attention. He sits himself silently next to the bed, his eyes are level to where Lee's would be if he turned over. Taking in the sight, the sound of the boy in front of him, Gaara stares without blinking.

An hour goes by without his noticing.

Lee sleeps like he does everything: throwing himself completely into the action. Gaara is intrigued by the sight of it all. His fingers itch as time passes though, wanting to reach out and touch the unconscious body before him. With feather-light touches, he runs his fingers over an arm. Teal eyes are stuck on the Lee's eyelids, watching for movement. When there is no response, Gaara continues to touch freely. Over Lee's back, down his spine, back up to caress his neck, the pads of his fingers absorb the feelings greedily.

His heart is beating faster again, making his breath come out in small pants as his lungs try to supply enough oxygen to the quickly running blood in his veins. Without realizing it, he has moved to the bed as well. Gaara struggles with himself for a long moment before trying to get Lee to roll over. He tries to stroke Lee's side, but all it gets him is a half snore, half chuckle. His brow furrows, he slides his hands under one shoulder, and slowly tries to push the bigger boy over.

The snoring stops suddenly, and Lee sits up. His eyes are wide, but not aware. Gaara bites his tongue to keep from making noise, surprised at the sudden movement. He is frozen in his spot next to Lee. A tense moment goes by before Lee bonelessly falls to the pillow face up. The snoring starts up again, louder than ever without the pillow to cover the noise up. Gaara closes his eyes, he knows it was a close call. A whisper inside him tells him he should stop before he gets caught, before something bad happens. But Gaara is too interested in the chest bared for him.

He runs his palms over the abdomen lightly at first, watching the muscles twitch under his cold hands. Gaara leans in close, inspecting Lee's face as he just barely touches a sandy nipple. The massive brows on Lee's face come together as though he is confused. They stay in that position as Gaara does the same with the other nipple, but they quiver a bit. Gaara smiles to himself, enjoying the scene. He isn't sure why he likes Lee so much, the depth of his affection frightens him when he tries to examine it. However, with Lee asleep and half naked on the bed under him, all Gaara wants is to touch, take, taste...and possess.

He breathes gently, hotly, on a nipple, making it stand. He cocks his head to the side as Lee's mouth falls open, snores silenced, but panting softly. Gaara moves his hands again over the dark skin of Lee's chest, only a little more pressure than before. He doesn't want to awake the beautiful creature under him. A finger dips lightly between ribs and muscles, dances over a collar bone before resting under the strong jaw. The entire thing made Lee twitch lightly. The pants where still coming, silent but quick.

Gaara leans up, his face a breaths length away from Lee's. He wonders what Lee would do if he woke up just then. His brows are in the same position, arched and furrowed with confusion and slight pleasure. Gaara doesn't know why he isn't awake yet, when the doorbell woke him up almost immediately. He can hear Lee, his rejection to Gaara's advancements the moment his eyes fluttered open. Light hands rest against either side of Lee's face. The boy is starting to wake up, his eye moving under their lids. Gaara knows he needs to stop.

A darker voice tells him he doesn't have to though. He could go further. He could make sure Lee wouldn't say "No".

Getting a grip of himself, Gaara pulls himself away and leaves the room. Leaves the hot and bothered boy alone on the bed. He finds his way around the house, to where the dryer is. Gaara takes his clothes and changes, wincing at how they aren't completely dry. He folds the sweats up and sets then on the couch with the blankets and pillows. Opening the front door, Gaara heads outside where the rain still falls. He walks until he is across the way, looking back at the two story house with the Nova outside. He lifts a hand in a wave.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Lee."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Another update for you! I know this may seem slow, but there's something interesting coming in the next chapter! :D Please hold on with me! This chapter features thoughts of both Gaara and Lee! Forgive me for the time skipping... Also, I love reviews 3 and the story alert additions! Thank you very much, and please continue to do so as it makes my insides wiggly with joy!**

**As a side note, I have realized there have been no disclaimers. I shall put them on from henceforth!**

**The characters DO NOT belong to me (**as of yet**) as they belong to the beloved Masashi Kishimoto! I merely own the situation those characters are introduced to in this story!**

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Lee groans minutely as the sound of his alarm yanks him from another dream. Onyx eyes flit open to stare at the blinking numbers on the clock. He swings his legs over the edge of his bed while sending his arm out to stop the insistent buzzing. Lee is unusually slow this morning, not yet bounding to the closet for clothing, or the bathroom for brushing his teeth and hair. He has had a strange dream, one that leaves him confused and embarrassed for some reason.

Wisps of it taunt his memory, only allowing Lee to remember insignificant things. Like red hair. As this registers in his mind, Lee remembers the boy sleeping on his couch downstairs. Lee heaves himself out of bed and walks into his bathroom. It's still early enough for him to shower, and the black haired boy grabs a green towel off a shelf and places it on the sink. Quickly stripping, Lee reaches to turn the water on, making it extra warm. The temperature doesn't scald him anymore, more it relaxes his muscles. However, when he steps in the tub a hiss escapes his lips.

The water wakes him up further, and Lee begins to wash his body. He massages soap into his scalp, fingernails just barely scraping the tender skin. The bath is scented with a mint of sorts, giving the heavy air a crisp smell. It almost makes Lee thinks he's swallowing a river of mint with every breath. Lee runs a soap bar over his chest quickly, not paying attention to what he's doing, as he is focused on breathing evenly. The longer he stands in the shower, the more he thinks about his dream.

He had woken up at some point in the night, panting and hot. It isn't unusual for a boy his age to have dreams like that. The kind with women who had breasts unrealistically large, wide hips and tiny waists. But the dream that had shaken Lee from sleep did not feature a woman. At least, he cannot imagine why he would dream of a woman with such a flat chest. Lee might have thought the person had been a boy, but the hands that had been on his skin were small and silky. Those hands had moved all over his chest, exploring at first, but testing.

The dream comes clearer as Lee continues to poke at it, unraveling details that make him gasp and burn with heat flashes. A hot breath over his nipples, fingers dancing over his ribs, it all hits Lee without warning. Lee opens his eyes, and finds himself aroused. He can feel shame nagging at him for having a hard on because of a dream. Even still, his hand drifts down to stroke himself. His breath catches in his throat, and he lets his eyes close. Compared to the water, his hand is cold. It forces shivers down Lee's spine as he slowly pumps his fist up and down. Lee leans against the wall of the shower as he works his member, feeling his knees quiver and shake, and his breath comes out in small pants.

He reaches his climax with the blurry picture of a small redhead behind his eyes.

Lee forces himself to think of not-steamy things, works on rinsing his hair and body off. The heated water threatens to bring the dream back to him, to make him hard again. Before Lee climbs out of the shower, he turns the hot water off and lets the terribly cold water wash away any sign of the dream.

When Lee is dry and dressed, he bounds down the stairs and moves to the living room, ready to waken the sleeping redhead. However instead of a body, Lee finds the blankets in the same pile he left them, and his grey sweats folded on top of the pillow. Upon searching the house, Lee finds Gaara has already left. A disappointed stone rests upon his chest, but he is unsure why.

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Gaara does not go to school anymore. Not that he needs to, for he has graduated a year ahead of schedule on account of being a "genius". Gaara doesn't feel like a genius. He only feels anxiety anymore. Unless he is around Lee, that is. The day after Gaara's unexpected stay, Lee found him. He was curious as to why Gaara had left so early.

Gaara had only shrugged and looked away. A pleased purr rumbled inside of him at the look of Lee's disappointed face though.

And then to top it off, Lee offered his home to Gaara whenever he needed a place to stay. When Gaara gives Lee a certain look, the black haired boy seems to understand. Says he'll pick Gaara up later if he wants. Lee has to go to school, and has track practice after. Gaara nods in agreement.

When Gaara goes to his own house during the day, his older siblings chew him out. They corner him in the kitchen. His sister, Temari was worried to death. "Why didn't you call or something? Jesus, I thought you were old enough to understand that you can't just leave the house in the middle of the night! What was going through your head?" It goes on like that for a while, Gaara has learned to let her get it all out before saying anything. While his eldest sibling is yelling at him, Gaara watches her with unblinking eyes. Her blond hair is pulled back into four ponytails sticking out of her head. Irritably, she swipes her bangs out of her eyes whenever they dare drift down. His sister would be as beautiful as the models on TV if she wasn't always yelling, or threatening people. Gaara thinks she might have an anger issue.

Waiting his turn, Gaara's brother stares him down. His brother has dark brown hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. After Temari finished, panting with the effort of so much yelling, Kankuro took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "So where did you go, brat?"

Gaara shrugs, and Kankuro leaves it at that, much to the surprise of everyone. A quiet minute passes before Gaara starts. "I will not be here tonight. I am staying with a friend." He leaves the kitchen as Temari starts up again, heading to his own room. Gaara doesn't care much for his house. It's quite large, it could easily fit three of Lee's house inside it's walls. It is filled with his father's expensive tastes, but lacks feeling. When Gaara ghosts the hallways, he feels as though he is in a hotel, a temporary place.

He creeps up the stairway, unsure whether his father is in the house or not. As he reaches his room, he swiftly begins packing. Tonight he will not wear sagging grey sweats, half naked in Lee's house. Anxiety is pushing at his mind. What if Lee changes his mind and kicks him out? What if his father finds him before Gaara can leave? What if Gaara cannot make it to Lee's house? The darker part inside him scoffs, calls him pathetic. Purrs, telling him things planned for tonight. For when Lee is silently sleeping.

A shiver runs through Gaara.

He is bent over his bag, folding random clothes in when his father appears in the doorway. He is a large, furious shadow. Gaara turns and looks at him through a blank mask. It starts with yelling, louder, trying to hurt it. Temari's ranting is nothing compared to the words this man spits at Gaara. This man does not yell because he is worried, he yells because he is angry. Gaara's father is a cruel man, not only in business, but at home. During the day he wears a guise that plays him as a headstrong, but polite man. The only person who sees the monster is Gaara. Because Gaara is the reason he lost his wife.

As the shadow descends on Gaara, he holds onto the hope that Lee won't forget to pick him up after practice.

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Lee doesn't know what to do. He has waited outside of Gaara's house for over twenty minutes in the car. He has knocked on the large, intimidating doors to no avail. Against all his morals and codes, Lee gives up and drives away from the huge house, and the redhead inside.

Once he is home, he sets the blankets and pillows out on the couch again. He still wants for Gaara to come over. Lee settles himself on the couch, flips on the TV, and waits for the green-eyed boy to knock on his door.

It is late when the sound comes, faint and muffled, but Lee can hear it over the sound of the television. He struggles out of the green couch that swallowed him at some point and heads to the door, pulling it open. It is almost a feeling of déjà vu, with sleep pulling at his mind and a wet Gaara on his porch. But there is no rain tonight, and the redhead before him is not looking at him with hopeful eyes. Instead, the head is turned downward, shoulders curled inward, and a bag in his hand. He is still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.

"Gaara! I thought you had forgotten! Please do come inside! What happened to you?" His voice booms, making the boy in front of him flinch. Lee stands off to the side, holding the door open for Gaara to walk through. Sluggishly, the redhead moves inside the door and stands, still not looking up. Lee can feel worry twisting itself into his stomach. Gaara has always been a quiet person, but this is beyond even him. Normally, Gaara walks with the easy grace and confidence of a cat.

"Are you alright, Gaara?" He asks, stepping closer to take the bag from clenched fingers. The boy is holding onto the straps like a lifeline, and Lee works at unraveling the fingers enough to take the bag and set it down inside the door. Finally, his curiosity and worry cannot keep anymore, and he reaches to tilt a pale chin upward. Unconsciously, a breath falls from his lips. Gaara's face is a mess of black and blue. A line of dark red, almost black, is drying on one of his temples. Lee can see his the bruises scattering his neck, down under his shirt. He is soaked, skin frozen to the touch. But what shakes Lee the most is the look in those teal eyes. They are cold and faded, as though the boy before him isn't all there. Lee's voice is hard and tight as he asks again.

"Gaara. What happened?"


End file.
